on the lam

I had the navionics "fishin chip" which came with thd gold card about 10 years ago. When I got the 585 5 years ago I told the sales rep I wouldn't buy it if I couldn't use the navionics chart. He called Furuno and they sent a upgrade to his laptop, I got it on an SD card, loaded it and magically It now supported Navionics. I couldn't fish without my fishin chip..

Btw, if I want to imitate a goby with a stick without a Rat Bay, Ill use a j-9 Rapala brown trout.

Ya know truthfully I'm not a big stick guy, I use them when necessary, but not as a rule. I probably haven't purchased a stick bait for five or more years, I have boxes of everything I need. I used to spontaneously buy everything everyone said was hot!!! Lol

I used this forum over the years to learn and advance my trolling knowledge, and it worked. This week I learned that Rat bay sticks are of high quality and will out perform other sticks in terms of durability. Paul and Rick confirmed that, I trust their experience and knowledge. What I also know is they are not magic and won't guarantee fishing success, but can help achieve the overall goal.

I probably used the wrong word, exaggerated was wrong, but in the context of the ongoing thread it appeared to me that your day was dominated by the goby rat. I thought that, obviously I was wrong. But to say that stick did it for you, we'll ok, but do you think maybe if you ran something other than that stick maybe you would have crushed them? I do, because to fish in green 48 degree water in Mexico bay in April is ground zero for browns. Like I said there were guys not far from you who did almost 30, without a stick bait in the water, spoons only. My overall point is don't get hung up on one thing based on hype. If the color of the water changes, the temp, the sunlight, the chop. It's all reason to adjust. If anyone is not interested in a different opinion, that's fine with me.

Here's the thing. If you try to help out here, and try to share advise and experience, you get nowhere. I understand people get excited about a new color spoon, or stick and it takes on a life of its own. I've done it. The rat stick is as good as any others at attracting bites, I'm sure of it under the right conditions. But if you read the post above mine where "Finsntins"suggests that the rat stick outfished anything else he had in the water, We'll that's great but in his fishing report on another page, he reports 4 trout caught in 5 hours! Now if you didn't know that you would think the rat goby had them jumping in the boat! Not the case. And no knock on him, it's fishing. everyone gets smacked around once in a while. But don't exaggerate to prove a point. Again it's a good lure I'm sure, but it's not magic. I know guys that destroyed trout today very close to where he was, and no goby sticks anywhere. Me personally for what its worth, I fish stick baits maybe the first three weeks im in the water then not another will see the water. And never more that 2 at a time. My rant is over.

Not a hater, just expressing an opinion. I know better than to do that here, it's been a bad habit of mine. lol

Like I said it's magic. Who knew!!!

Ok. Something is strange just happened. I just spoke to one of my teammates who fished a half morning today. He boated almost 30 trout and without a Bay Rat stick! Idk how it happened, but I guess if he had a few he might have caught 60 or 70. We're definitely behind the curve I suppose.

Well now with this magical lure out there, I guess there isn't a tournament that won't be dominated by these sticks. I suppose I should start fishing stripers

Well I haven't seen a substandard stick from the brands I mentioned, but all things being equal, we're talking about catching brown trout, and walleye with sticks. I don't walleye fish, but in terms of browns it's not rocket science. Put the proper color stick in front of a spring brown regardless of brand and you good.

I hate to be a killjoy here, but does everyone believe that this stick, in any pattern, is going to catch more fish than the proven sticks (rapala, tstick, rapala, smithwick) it may catch as many, and I hope the manufacturer does well, but I believe it's another case of the lure catching the fisherman. IMO. I'm prepared for backlash...

True that ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If I had room at the marina I'd think about it!

Congrats